Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-10-08
wall OF tho refrain. and soraia slowly turned
her round.
II win be there" said Nyioptha, hurriedly;
son thy life SEQ that thou fail mo notss
CHAPTER XVI.
BEFORE THE STATUE

lay Oh the Frowning City like n cloud.
Secretly, as evil doors, Sir Henry Curtis,
Umslopogaas and myself threaded our way
through tho passages towards a by entrance
TO the great throne chamber. Once we were
met by tho fierce, rafting challenge of tho
sentry. / gave the countersigu and the
man grounded his spear and let US pass.
Also, we were officers Of the queens body
guard and in that capacity had a right to
come and so unquestioned.
We gained the hall In safety. So empty
and SO still was 1t that even when we had
Passed, the sound OF our footsteps yet echoed
up the lofty walls, vibrating family and still
more family against the cavern roof, like
ghosts of tho footsteps of dead men haunting
the place that once they trod.
It.wns an cerie spot, and 1t oppressed me.
Tho moon was full, and threw great pencils
and patches OF light through the high, win
dowless openings in the walls, that lay pure
md beautiful upon the blaclness of the mar
BILE floor, like white flowers on coffin. One
of these silver arrows fell upon the statue of
tho sleeping Rademas, and of the angel form
bent over him, illumining it, and a small cir
Gle round 1t, with soft, clear light, remind
lnB mo Oh Luub WHICH OulHViNs iAAuAhAiV wv
affairs of their cathedrals.
Here by the statue we took our stand and
waited-Sir Horny and close together, UNI
slopogaas some PAGES or in the darkness, SO
that could only just make out his towering
outline leaning on the outline of an ak.
So long did we wait that | almost fell
asleep resting against tho cold marble, but
was suddenly aroused by hearing Curtis give
q quick, catching breath. Then from for, far
far away there camo little sound, as though
The statues that lined the walls were whisper
ing to each other some message of the ages.
1t was tho faint sweep of LADY, dress
Nearer 1t grew, and nearer yet. We could
sec a figure steal from patch to patch OF
moonlight, and even hear the soft fall OF san
daled feet Another second and | saw the
black silhouette Of the old Zulu raise its arm
in mute salute. and Nyleptha was before u.s.
Oh, how beautiful she looked as she paused
a moment just within tho circle of the moon
light Her hand was pressed upon her heart,
and her white bosom heaved beneath 1t.
Round her head o broidered scarf was loosely
thrown, partially shadowing the perfect face,
and thus rendering it even more lovely; Tor
beauty, dependent as 1t is to certain extent
upon tho Imagination, Is never so beautiful
as when It Is half hid. There she stood, radi-
ant but half doubling, stately and yet SO
sweet It was but moment; but then and
there fell in love with her myself. and have
remained so to this hour; for indeed she
looked more like an angel out of heaven than
a loving, passionate, mortal woman. Low we
bowed before her, and then she spoke.
MT 4. Mol. ,1,to
at great risk. Ye know not how l am
watched. The priests watch me- Sorais
watches mo with those great eyes OF hers
My very guards are spies upon me-.
Nasta watches me too. Oh, let him be care
fulf' and she stamped her foot Let him ne
careful: am a woman, and therefore hard
to drive. Ay, and am queen, too, ana
can still avenge. Let him be careful, l say,
lest in place Of giving him my hand take
his head:n and she ended the outburst with
little sob and then smiled up at US bewitch-
ingly and laughed.
s.Tbou didss bid me come hither, my Lord
Incubun Curtis had taught her toscall him
SOY. Doubtless 1t is about business OF the
state, for know that thou art ever full OF
great ideas and plans for my welfare and my
PEOPLES So, oven as queen should nave
come, though / greatly fear the dark alone"
and again she laughed nnd gave him glance
from her gray eyes,
At this point thought 1t wise to move C.
little, since secrets "of the state" should not
be made public property, but she would not
let mo go far, peremptorily stopping me
within Ave yards or SO, saying that she feared
surprise. So it came to pass that however
unwillingly, heard all that passed.
"Thou knowest, Nyleptha, said Sir Henry,
shat it was for mono Of these things that
asked thee to mo as this lonely place. Nylcp-
tina, waste not tho time in pleasantly, but
listen to me-, for-I love thee"
AS ho said the words saw her face break
up, as it wero, and change. The coquetry
went out of it, and in its place there shone
great light of love, which seemed to glorify
it, and make it like that of the marble angel
overhead. Icculd not help thinking that it
must havo boon q touch Of prophetic instinct
which made tho long dead Rademas linn in
the features Of tho angel Of his inspiring yis-
ion so strange likeness OF his own descend
ant. Sir Henry also must have observed ana
been struck by the likeness, for, catching the
look upon Nyleptha's face, he glanced quickly
from it to the moonlit statue, and then back
again at his beloved.
Thou sayest thou dost love me-" sho said,
in low voice, "and thy voice rings true; but
how am to know that thou dost speak the
TRUTH Though" she went on, with proud hui
mility, and In tho stately third person which
is SO largely used by tho Zu-Vendi, II be as
nothing in the eyes of my lord"--and she
courtesied towards hin-"who comes from
among wonderful people, to whom my peo-
pie are but children, yet here am a queen
and leader of men, and If would 60 to
battle hundred thousand spears shall sparkle
in my train like stars glimmering down the
path of the bent moon. And although my
beauty be o littlo thing in the eyes Of my lord''
and she lifted her broidered skirt and cour-
tested again-"yet here among my own PEG
pie arr held right fair; and ever since was
a woman tho great lords Of my kingdom have
made quarrel concerning me, as though, for
sooth,n she added, with flash Of passion,
81 were deer to be pulled down by the
hungriess wolf, or horse 10 be sold to the
highest bidder. Let my lord pardon me il
weary my lord, but 1t hath pleased my lord
to say that he loves me, Nylsptha, queen OF
the Zu- Vsndi; and therefore would ! say, that
though my love and my hand be not much
o., NV lord vat to ma n ra thev oil u